Alentejo

Alentejo is probably Portugal’s most unspoilt and untouched region but definitely the largest. The Alentejo is a truly unique landscape, starting at the Comporta coastline, where beaches stretch for miles and going inland transforms to miles of vines and farms producing cork. Well worth a visit whilst exploring the region is Evora, a medieval town surrounded by 14th-century walls which have been beautifully preserved.

Explore the rolling hillsides, rugged peaks, endless plains and its sweeping Atlantic beaches. Vast swathes of sand lay sheltered between rocky cliffs and over 100km of the coastline is part of the South West Alentejo and Costa Vicentina National Park, an area rich in animal and plant life.

One of Portugal’s best-kept secrets is Comporta and is increasingly compared to an undiscovered  Ibiza. Kept under wraps by the cool crowd, a laid-back beach-shack vibe has put it on the map as a summer bolthole for those in the know. Lisbon locals flock here to enjoy the endless white-sand beaches and escape the heat of the city in summer. The entire area, Herdade da Comporta, is a 12,500 hectare protected nature reserve which includes seven hamlets nestled among rolling rice paddies, and is home to wildlife including storks and flamingoes.